The next time someone says that there’s no more good rock music being made or that concert tickets are too expensive, tell them to call me.
On April 15, a Saturday night in the heart of downtown Montreal, I saw three hard-rocking bands for 16 bucks.
I arrived at the Piranha Bar for 8 o’clock because that’s when the show was supposed to start, and was surprised to see that the place was not full. I kept thinking that more people would show up, but unfortunately, they did not. I don’t know who was promoting this show, but it looks like nobody knew about it. I’m not sure if it was a promotions issue or if there were too many shows going on at the same time.
First band up was Astral Gates. I had never seen them perform live before and felt lucky that it was in such an intimate venue. The boys came to play and they did not waste any time. Starting off with “Get Right”, Dave Traina instantaneously filled up the room with the sound of his drums and kept the same intensity till the very last song.
I really enjoyed watching lead guitarist/vocalist Dan D’ Urbano and rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Domenico Carbone feed off of each other. They looked like two old pals just jamming and having fun and that energy radiated into the crowd. My favourite was the bluesy “Where Did You Stay Last Night,” which actually sounds better live. They treated us to some new music, “Face Down,” and finished strong with “Devil in a Silk Dress.”
The second band, Late Night Trouble kicked it up a notch, opening with a banger, “Thunder and Hurricane”. As soon as I caught lead singer Roxanne’s manic vibe, I leaned over to my husband and said; ”if she was born 100 years ago, they would’ve locked her up”. This was a compliment because I can’t remember the last time I saw a frontwoman this fearless and wild. Her voice was raspy and rough as she belted out some heavy rock while her band played loud and hard. They mixed it up with some fun covers like Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” and Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl.” As Roxanne jumped off the stage, running through the crowd, with her pale blonde hair flying wildly. Her toned, tight, frame, twitching and gyrating, I couldn’t help but wonder if Iggy Pop and Courtney Love ever hooked up.
By the time Vilivant appeared, it was past 10, and the crowd was pretty riled up. Julia’s look oozed rockstar from her bright crimson hair down to her metallic combat boots and a huge silver crucifix dangling on her chest. Eager to play her new music, she took over the stage like a seasoned pro, grabbing the mic to thank us for coming, and her excitement was infectious. Her debut album, “Running on Empty,” written during the pandemic, was just released in March. I wasn’t expecting her to sound exactly like she did on her record, but I was blown away as soon as she sang her first note. Julia’s voice had that controlled intensity that could be soft, gentle, powerful, and ferocious.
In addition to singing her own songs, she covered “Love, Reign O’er Me” by the Who. So far, the only other artist besides Roger Daltrey to pull off that song is Eddie Vedder…until now. The fact that her bandmates managed to sound heavy without overpowering the vocals is a testament to their skills. She finished strong with the title track, “Running on Empty,” with a rocking wail that would make Ian Gillan jealous. As Julia’s voice permeated throughout the sweltering Piranha bar, moody and full of rage, I scanned the room and witnessed all the joyful gazes of admiration; my faith in the future of rock music was restored.
Annette Aghazarian
Watch our interview with Vilivant below:
